Ancestry and evolution of a secretory pathway serpin
2008
Evolution of Neuroserpin and Its Role in the Secretory Pathway
publication
Evidence: high
Author Information
Author(s): Kumar Abhishek, Ragg Hermann
Primary Institution: University of Bielefeld
Hypothesis
The study aims to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships of serpins involved in the secretory pathway.
Conclusion
The analysis reveals that neuroserpin has ancient origins and plays a crucial role in protecting cellular export/import routes.
Supporting Evidence
- Neuroserpin orthologs exist in early diverging deuterostomes and possibly cnidarians.
- The study shows that the ability of serpins to guard cellular pathways is an ancient trait.
- Massive changes in the exon-intron organization of serpin genes have occurred during evolution.
Takeaway
Neuroserpin is a protein that helps protect cells from damage, and it has been around for a very long time in the history of animals.
Methodology
The study involved genomic and microsynteny analysis of serpin genes across various species.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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